The parliamentary party meeting of CPN-UML has decided to not respond to the registration of impeachment motion against Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana in rage and vengeance.
The meeting held at the Parliament House in New Baneshwore on Monday has concluded that the ruling coalition has invited political instability but decided to not seek vengeance in rage. Addressing the meeting UML Chairman and parliamentary party leader KP Sharma Oli said the leadership will take decision after careful deliberation despite the coalition inviting political instability by registering the impeachment motion.
"UML is a responsible party and it must, therefore, take steps in a responsible manner. It will not take any decision in range and emotion," Oli told the meeting. He assured that the party will take decision on the basis of necessity.
He told the lawmakers that the party is ready to retaliate against the impeachment through the parliament, streets and the judiciary.
He also refused the proposal of Bhim Rawal to discuss about the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact saying it will be discussed later.
The majority of leaders who spoke during the meeting opined that the party should not back CJ Rana on the eve of election. Oli, in response, said that he too is not in favor of supporting CJ Rana.
"The impeachment motion against Rana has come now as part of the conspiracy to try to postpone the local election, pass the MCC Comapct at any cost and attitude of continuously attacking the democratic system," UML Chief Whip Bishal Bhattarai quoted Oli as saying in the meeting. "Impeachment motion has not been brought to impeach someone personally but to destroy the institution of judiciary. We don't have intention to save him (Rana). Numerous weaknesses have been seen in him. The mandamus (to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as PM) was issued under his leadership."
The party, however, has collected signatures of all the lawmakers present during the meeting. Bhattarai said that the signatures have been collected to allow the party to take decision on the impeachment motion against CJ Rana on the basis of necessity.
He added that the top party leaders have been given the mandate to take necessary decision. He also claimed that the reports that UML is preparing to register an impeachment motion against four Supreme Court (SC) justices are unfounded.
"Lawmakers have suggested that solid decision should be taken by solidly taking stock of the situation. Party chairman said the party leadership will sit and take necessary decision. We have collected signatures for that."
There are reports that the main opposition party is preparing to lodge impeachment motion against Justices Deepak Kumar Karki, Meera Khadka, Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada and Ananda Mohan Bhattarai to counter registration of one by the ruling coalition against Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana on Sunday.
The four justices and CJ Rana were in the five-strong constitutional bench that reinstated the House dissolved for the second time by the then prime minister (PM) Oli and issued a mandamus ordering Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba be appointed PM within two days on July 12, 2021.
